Card-game apparatus.



PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

W. J. GONNBLL. CARD GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10,1906.

WILLIAM J W/TNESSES 1n: NORRIS rxrsns C0,. wAsulunraN, n c.

\VILLIAM J. CONNELL, OF HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

CARDLGAIVIE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 3333353; ly 10, 1906.

Application filed April 10, 1906. Serial No. 310,961.

To (Li/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM J. CONNELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Huntington, in the county of Cabell and State of West Virginia, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My game apparatus comprises a polygonal center piece whose several sides are inscribed with numerals and a series of cards each bearing two numerals or equivalent, said numerals being the same as or duplicates of those inscribed on the center piece, so that the cards may be played in accordance with the correspondence of the numbers, as hereinafter de scribed.

In the accompanying drawing, I represent the center piece and cards arranged in relation thereto as played in an actual game.

A designates the polygonal center piece, which is represented as an octagon. The several straight sides are numbered seriati'm from 1 to 8, inclusive.

B indicates cards having an oblong rectangular form and divided by transverse central lines into two parts or end portions, each of which bears a number. There are eight books or groups of cards employed, each book being composed of cards bearing numerals which are grouped as follows: On one card appear the numerals l 2, on another 2 3, on another 3 4, and so on to 7 8, the final card of the series duplicating the number 8, which card may for convenience be termed a double 8. In addition to the numbered cards of a book I also use another bearing two octagonal figures, as represented at C in the drawing, the same being in play designated the double-octagon card. For convenience in playing the width of the several cards is the same or nearly the same as thelength of one of the sides of the polygon A.

- There being eight cards in each book or group which bear numerals and another bearing octagonal figures, it will be seen that there are seventy-two in all, or seventy-three including the center piece A. From two to sixteen persons may play the game. The pack of cards is dealt four at a time to each player and all are played to the center piece or octagon Athat is to say, the player sitting at the left of the dealer plays first, and let it be supposed that he lays down a card B bearing the numerals 1 2. In such case the end of said card bearing the numeral 1 is placed in contact with that side of the cencardsay one bearing the numerals 2 3 which card is similarly placed with the 2 adjacent to the correspondingly-numbered side of the polygon A. Then if the third player has a card bearing the numerals 2 3 he may place it, as indicated in the drawing, across the, corner, as it is termed,o rbridging the two previously-played cards 1 2 2 3, which blocks play in that direction or for the sides of the polygon indicated by l 2. Again, the fourth player on the left of the dealer lays down a card B bearing the numerals 6 7, the end on which the 6 is inscribed or printed being placed adjacent to the side of the polygon marked 6. Say that the fifth player lays down a card bearing numerals 7 8 in the position indicated in the drawing, then the sixth player may block play in that direction by placing the double-octagon card 0 across the corner, thus bridging the two cards bearing numerals. Let it be supposed that the seventh player lays down a card B bearing the numerals "5 6 in the position indicated in the drawing, then the eighth player may lay down the card bearing 6 7, with the ends of the cards marked 6 in juxtaposition. The ninth player lays down a card bearing 7 8, the 7s being juxtaposed. Finally, the tenth player may lay down the double 8, the same being placed bridgewisc across the outer end of the card laid down by the seventh player, whereby play is blocked in that direction. The above illustration suffices to illustrate the method of playing. It is apparent that play is blocked in one direction or two directions for one side or for two adjacent sides of the polygon A by laying down a bridge-card, which may be the doubl of the highest number to wit, 8or a card bearing the same numerals as two adjacent cards, as 2 3, or by the double octagon C. In other words, the card bearing the double of the highest number, 8, or a card bearing numerals the same as two adjacent cards which have been played, or the double-octagon card may all be employed for bridging, and thereby blocking, as indicated in the drawing. It will be seen that the sides 3, 4, and 8 of the center piece are still free, and to these cards may be played in the same manner as has already been indicated. Thus a player may play to any blank space or side of the polygon or to the end of any card which has been laid IIO down or to the ends of two adjacent cards, the object being to block the game by. matching the cards, as indicated. When a player has no card matching any vacant side of a polygon A or any of the cards which have been played, he must deposit on the table a card from his hand, and such card is preferably laid directly upon the polygon A, as in dicated by dotted lines in the drawing. The play then passes to the next player. The

, player Who succeeds in blocking the game so that no one else can play is entitled to all the cards which have been laid on the octagon A and also all the cards remaining in the hands of the other players. One hundred points may be taken asla game and each card counts as a point. It will be seen, therefore, that the number of cards and not the numerals thereon are counted. If it should happen that all the cards should have been dealt before the game is blocked, the dead cards that is to s ay, the cards forming the rows which have been blockedmay be taken up sides numbered progressively from 1 upward,

anda series of books or grou s of cards, there being as many cards in eachliook as there are sides of the polygon, and the several cards having each two numbered spaces, the numbers extending from unity to the numeral which is the highest on the polygon, and the same being applied to designate the spaces on the cards, the last card of each book or group being a double, as shown and described.

3. The improved card apparatus comprising an octagonal center piece having its several sides numbered progressivelyfrom l to 8, and a series of books or groups of cards each book being composed of eight cards which are numbered from 1 to 8, corresponding to the polygon, the first card of the book bearing the numerals 1 2 at its respective ends, the next bearing the numerals 2 3,the next the numerals 3 4, and so on, the final card of a book bearing the numerals 8 8, as shown and described.

4. The improved game apparatus comprissides numbered progressively from 1 upward, and a series of books or groups of cards nine in number, eight cards of the bookbearing numerals from 1 to 8 inclusive, and the ninth card bearing two polygonal figures and serving in play as a bridge or blocking card, substariti ally as described.

WILLIAM J. CON NELL. Witnesses:

M. B. HENDERSON, W. D. OoNNELL.

' ing a polygonal center piece having its several 

